Never Look Back
by Phoenix2312
Summary: Today's the day, she's finally going to be free, finally going to get her life back, well rather she's going to make a new one for herself. After new evidence comes to light proving Alison's innocence she's being released from Prison. One-shot. Ali-centric, #TeamAli


**I don't know about anyone else, but season 5B has pretty much sucked, minus the TINY bit of team Sparia we got last night. Anyways I know I'm not the only one who thinks that Alison is innocent, so here's a little one shot for all the Team Ali fans out there. **

**And honestly, if for some reason she ends up with 'A' or Mona's murderer, I don't even think I care. I'm so Anti-Liars right now, they are all making me so mad.**

**ANYWAYS, now that I'm done with my tangent, on with the story!**

* * *

**Never Look Back**  
_One-Shot_

Standing in absolute silence, Alison meticulously added a thin sheen of bronzer to her temples, outlined her full lips and swiped mascara onto her lashes. The reflection in the mirror didn't even look like her; it wasn't bad, just very different.

Nearly three months in prison can do that to a person. She surely isn't the same girl she was when they'd falsely imprisoned her for two murders, and without a doubt she wasn't the same girl from before she'd disappeared. But that's okay with her. She's better now, and if it's even possible, she's stronger. She's battled psychopaths, fought down her family demons, survived on the streets, she's endured knife wounds, rape, torture and mental abuse beyond anyone's wildest nightmare and now she's survived prison too.

She smirked at her own reflection. A lot has changed, but she's still Alison DiLaurentis, and nothing can make her crumble. With one last 'pop' of her lips, to adjust her lipstick, she sighed.

Today's the day she's finally being released, and after some very strong words and harsh threats from both her father and her lawyer, they'd agreed to bend protocol slightly and let her put on makeup and fix her hair.

So now she's here, the white tile walls casting harsh light on her skin as they reflect the florescent bathroom lights, the chill of the empty room sending a shiver up her bare legs.

Despite the cold she feels good being back in her regular clothes with her hair curled and her makeup on. That had been her request of her father, and he'd come through. It was going to be hard enough walking out of that prison with hordes of people and news crew's just outside. At least now she looked as flawless as ever.

Tossing her handbag over her shoulder she exited the bathroom, and gave the guard standing outside a smirk. The officer didn't say anything just nodded respectfully as he followed her down the hallway.

When they reached the opening she saw several more officers standing there looking meek and terrified. They were trying to hide it, but after all this time, she could smell fear. Even LT. Tanner looked hesitant, but then again after the threat her lawyer had made she wasn't exactly surprised.

The Rosewood Police Department couldn't afford any more negative publicity, especially now.

Hate mail and angry letters piled in by the day, news crew's swarmed the outside of the station and the prison alike, everyone demanding the resignation of Lt. Tanner and all her deputies after the videos proving Alison's innocence had come to light, just over a week ago. They'd arrested a poor teenage girl when two murders were on the loose.

When mysterious footage had shown up at the station showing the exact video that had put her in prison, with one extra detail, it was fifteen seconds that changed her entire life. The video was exactly the same up until the moment the camera shifted upwards, showing the hooded figure's face. It wasn't Alison. It was a girl wearing an Alison mask. But the real turn of events was when the camera caught the figure taking off the blonde wig and tossing it aside, revealing dark hair underneath. That's all it had taken to shake Rosewood too its core.

But luckily for her, 'A' must have been feeling generous, because not 24 hours later, another video showed up at the police station. This one, a full confession to Spencer Hastings from Melissa Hastings in the death of Bethany Young, with this evidence, the only thing they had on her was that she'd faked her own death.

But she wasn't going to stay in prison for something like that. Instead she'd talked with her lawyer and set up mediation with Lt. Tanner. The police woman was shaken and confused, so when Alison had agreed to talk, she was finally ready to listen.

Deciding that it was best for her future she told the police what she knew, from being buried alive, to lying about the kidnapping, to how she'd fled for her life from the mysterious stranger.

Lt. Tanner listened with wide eyes as she talked, weaving a web of betrayal, lies and pain. When she finished with a simple, 'I still don't know who A is' she felt like she was being believed for the first time.

However once news of this spread, minus the part about 'A' (that bitch was still out there after all), the police were now under more scrutiny than they even knew how to handle.

Suddenly it seemed as though everyone in not just Rosewood, but all of Pennsylvania had rallied behind her. She wasn't a murder suspect anymore, she wasn't the queen bee of Rosewood, the missing girl, the dead girl, she was the victim. A poor teenage girl who'd had her entire life ripped away from her. But she didn't want to be pitied either, she just wanted to be free.

She didn't care that 'A' was still out there, or that aside from her father she had no one left in her life, well besides CeCe, but she was still technically a fugitive. None of it mattered now though because she was stronger than ever before. She was invincible, unbreakable, and this time, she planned to stay that way.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she heard Lt. Tanner nervously clear her throat.

"Ms. DiLaurentis, we are extremely sorry for all we've put you through, our deparment is working overtime to arrest Ms. Hastings, find Ms. Vanderwal's real killer and to put a stop to what you've been through. Rest assured that nothing of this nature will ever happen again. "

Just as Alison was about to say something a voice sounded across the room.

"Damn right it won't Tanner. If you ever so much as look at my daughter again I swear to the heavens that I will do everything in my power to see you and your entire unit taken down once and for all, I don't think the government would take kindly to your unlawful practices. Oh, and while you're at it, I don't think you'll mind delivering these to Mrs. Vanderwaal."

Kenneth DiLaurentis was an intimidating man in every aspect of the word, tall and handsome, with regal but cold features; her eyes were the colour of steel and conveyed his every thought. But now, with her papa bear instincts kicking into overdrive, he was downright menacing as he stood up to protect his only child. He didn't seem to care that Lt Tanner was now on their side, he hated her.

Lt. Tanner seemed to shrink under his gaze. When she finally reached out a hand to grab the papers her eyes widened.

The papers in her hand were serving papers. Ken DiLaurentis was suing Mrs. Vanderwaal for assault, harassment and child abuse, from the time she'd slapped Alison outside the church. And with a whole town of witnesses there was no question that he would win.

She didn't meet his eyes but nodded in assent. She didn't have a choice. There were already enough issues in Rosewood, she didn't need a lawsuit against the entire Department on her hand, especially when she had a murderer and a psychopath to catch, she didn't have time for lawsuits.

She sighed.

Ken turned and looked at his daughter. He held his arms out of her, she ran into them and hugged him tightly. In the beginning she thought she'd lost him too, thought that he believed she was a murdered but for once someone believed her, someone stood by her.

When she finally pulled back a single tear fell from her eyes.

He moved his hand and wiped it away, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Ready to go home baby girl?"

She gave him a nod and a smile.

"Ready daddy."

Without any protest from Lt. Tanner or the other officers Ken and Alison made their way to the door. They stopped in front of them and she took a deep breath.

She knew what was waiting for her out there.

Suddenly she heard a familiar voice inside her head.

"_Be strong. Keep your chin up. You are wonderful and beautiful, and no matter what anyone does or says, it doesn't matter, you've changed, don't let them destroy who you are now Ali. And remember that I will always be with you, I'll always believe in you."_

Cece's voice was so clear in her mind that she can hardly bear it, she misses her so much, the girl who'd been like a sister, who'd been her best friend and of recent, maybe even more than that. For just a moment she's transported back to the moment Cece had said those words to her.

She'd been crying, sitting alone on the guardrail that overlooked the Rosewood Reservoir. She'd been thinking about all the awful things she'd done before she'd escaped Rosewood, and it ate away at her. She didn't like the person she'd been, and even though she was different now, it didn't change anything.

Cece had come up next to her and smiled before wiping away a stray tear, before she'd looked her in the eye and spoke those words.

Her father's hand on her arm shakes her out of the memory.

But Cece was right.

_You can do this Ali, you've faced way worse. _

Not sure if it was her voice or her father's she just nodded and pushed open the door.

Bright sunlight hit her face, nearly blinding her.

Momentarily dazed she blinked at the harsh light. Dozens of people, reporters, camera men and Rosewood citizens adorned the streets. Every eye was on her. She scanned the crowd once, twice, three times. In the distance, red rimmed, chocolate brown eyes met hers.

Emily was standing at the back of the crowd, flanked by Hanna, Spencer and Aria. Careful not to portray the emotional whirlpool swirling in her chest she stared right back, hard and empty, for several long seconds before she looked away.

Many of the reporters were shouting questions at her but she didn't hear any of them, too overwhelmed to hear much of anything except her own pulse in her ears.

Her father's hand was in the middle of her back as he guided her forward, keeping his body protectively angled around his little girl's.

A microphone was suddenly thrust into her face, she was momentarily caught off guard.

She had one second to decide what to do next, two choices. She could just say 'No Comment' and keep moving, or she could address the crowd.

Letting her outer confidence take over she spoke.

"Thank you all for your kind words and support, they have helped me greatly as I get through this very difficult time. The Rosewood Police Department has done all in their power to rectify the situation and arrest the real perpetrators, but we all must be vigilant now. Again I appreciate all you have done, but for now my father and I would like to be left alone to handle matters privately. Thank you."

With that she lightly pushed the microphone away from her and stepped forward. Ken followed behind, trying to hide his smile. His daughter was a fighter, and nothing would ever change that.

As they walked the crowd parted, hushed whispers filled the air but no one stopped them, no one asked anymore questions, they just let her walk free; until she nears the end of the crowd and stops.

In the excitement of her speech she'd nearly forgotten about Emily and the others. Her stomach turns at the thought of them. And that hurts. She'd once loved them all, loved them in her own twisted way, she'd even done all she could to protect them. But it didn't matter. They were the reason she'd been thrown in jail, they'd turned their backs on her.

For a split second she could feel her former self creeping up on her, because some small part of her still wanted revenge on them, but she wasn't that girl anymore. So instead of anger and resentment, hurt fills her chest turning her stomach again. She's going to have to walk right by them, she wants to look at the ground, wants to run away. But she doesn't.

Somewhere in her heart she still cares for all of them, but that's irrelevant now. They are strangers, neither friend nor foe.

A small voice in the back of Alison's mind reminds her that these four are also still battling 'A', that they have been for weeks, months, years, just like she has, and it's this that forces her to look up.

In turn her eyes shift from blue to hazel to green to brown. Their expressions mirror one another, hurt, sadness, regret, guilt. She makes a decision.

Not looking at any one of them in particular she speaks.

"I forgive you."

In that moment she knew what she needed to do, even though she doubts they will ever forgive her for the person she used to be. They didn't work like that.

But it's okay. In the end she's changed, she's the better person, the stronger person.

Her eyes linger for one extra second on Emily, her sweet Emily, her first love. She steels her nerves and swallows down the lump in her throat. She has one more thing to say; because as far as Alison's concerned this is the last time she'll ever speak to them. Her blue eyes stare directly into Emily's brown ones as she lets out a breath.

"I loved you. I just thought you should know."

Alison can seem Emily's heart break, she looks utterly destroyed, her eyes are rimmed red, mascara stains on her cheeks, her coppery skin pale, but looking at the girl she used to love, she doesn't feel anything more than a wistful sadness for what could've been.

Lifting her chin higher, she straightens her posture.

Not realizing she'd stopped her father is several paces ahead of her now, completely missing her exchange with the others. Wordlessly she glides forwards, catching up with him, leaving nothing but the smell of her lilac perfume behind.

Emily's eyes sting and tears fall again as she watches Alison walk away from her, it's the end, she falls to her knees and sobs. Aria, Spencer and Hanna try to comfort her, but their own grief and guilt eat them alive.

As Alison walks, she's temped to look back, but CeCe's voice rings out in her mind again and somehow that's all that matters anymore.

"_Never look back Ali, and never forget that I love you."_

A small smile crosses her lips as a whispered breath leaves her lips.

"I love you to Ce."

With that she leans into her father's side, he puts his arm around her shoulders as they head towards the car, towards freedom and a new life.


End file.
